Princesses Of The Ring
by Inwe Lothelen
Summary: LOTRKH - Two Mirkwood Princesses escape their fate, and are met by a ship out of their wildest dreams. What happens next changes their world and many others. Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Lord of the Rings.
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
It was cold, brutally cold for a Mirkwood night. Inwe pulled her satin cloak around her shoulders, but it did little to quell the chill seeping into her bones. She continued pacing, trying to walk to stay warm, but to no avail. She looked like a caged tiger, pacing across her room. Sleep would not come, and it had not come for the past nights. She thought back on the last few years of the world, and how the predicament that they were in widened into an inescapable chasm. Middle-Earth had been saved when The One Ring had been dropped into the fires of Mount Doom. Sauron had been totally destroyed, and Isengard and Barad-dur were silent. Light had crept back into the world, and the shadows had vanished.  
But the closer you are to the light, the greater your shadow becomes.  
How did she think of that? She began pacing faster. After Sauron had been destroyed, the world was at peace. But it was a ruse. As soon as the darkness had left it reappeared. Lothlorien's forests strange creatures began praying on the Elven patrols meant to watch the borders for any orcs that may be left from Sauron's Downfall. The elves of Rivendell could not venture from their homes, the trees were so dangerous. Any who ventured in the Plains of Rohan would fall prey to shadows. It seemed that Mirkwood was one of the only places left that was untouched, but they could not hope for much longer.  
"Inwe, are you still awake?" She started. She had not heard her sister enter.  
"Uma, seleramin. I could not sleep, Alatariel." She halted her pacing, looking up into the face of her twin. They were almost identical. Both of them had fair skin, and bright golden hair. They were tall, slender, and graceful, as most elves were, and would have been called exotically beautiful by mere men. Their hands were deft, but callused. Inwe was beyond skilled with a sword, and Alatariel was likewise with a bow. They were almost indistinguishable, save for their eye color. Inwe's eyes were as blue as the midnight sky reflected upon the ocean. Alatariel's were a deeper violet than the most beautiful amethyst.  
"Neither could I." Alatariel say down on the bed. "You can feel it, can't you?"  
"What?" Responded Inwe, her heart quickening for no apparent reason. She looked about the room, suddenly afraid of the shadows.  
"I'm not sure, but I can feel it. I can smell it. I can sense it. The winds of change are fast approaching. We must adjust our sails, or our mast will be broken." Alatariel's eyes became unfocused, as if she were dreaming while awake. She snapped back to attention, looking her sister in the eye. "We must adjust. I fear that we are not destined to be with our people."  
"What are you speaking of?" Asked Inwe, walking away from the bed toward the window. She then spun around, pointing her finger at her sister. "You have had one of our visions! What did it tell you?"  
"The closer you are to the light, the greater your shadow becomes." Murmured Alatariel, "We must escape the light, before the darkness swallows us all." 


	2. The Departure and The Search Begins

Chapter 1  
  
They flew down the hall like frightened deer, but made much less noise. Elves could be silent when they wished to be. They were little more than a ghost's shadow, melting into the darkness. They were bound for the weapons chambers, where the royal family kept their swords, bows, and other instruments of war. Alatariel went in front, pulling Inwe along by her hand. They ran through twists and turns until Inwe felt horribly disoriented. Alatariel came to a sudden halt in front of two heavy oaken doors. Inwe whispered the secret password known only to the royal family, and the heavy doors swung open on well-oiled hinges. Inside was a large, round room. The walls were marble with inlaid gold murals of the battles of past ages. Along the wall were spears, shields, morning stars, and other weapons that were dangerously fabulous. There were also cabinets along the walls. Inwe went to one, Alatariel to another. Inwe opened the huge redwood cabinet, and inside were dozens of gorgeous swords. Inwe chose a long scimitar with a practical bronze hilt and leather sheath. She withdrew the blade, revealing a clean, cold steel blade that flashed in the moonlight. Alatariel opened an oak cabinet, and within were many beautiful bows. Alatariel looked through the rows, and pulled out a polished recurve bow, the kind that Mirkwood was famous for. Many rangers in their father's army couldn't even draw the bow, but Alatariel could. She also took multiple quivers of arrows and slung them over her shoulder.  
"Ready, seleramin?" She asked Inwe.  
"Ready." They ran back to their chambers. It was great luck that they were not caught by any guards or maids that often were awake in the dark hours of the night. They rushed back to their rooms, not wanting to push their luck.  
"Meet me back outside in a matter of minutes. Pack lightly, we will be traveling quickly." She disappeared into her rooms. Inwe went into hers. She slipped out of her bedclothes, putting on a deep forest green tunic and riding breeches. She grabbed a leather belt and fitted her sword's sheath to it, then put it around her waist. Grabbing a worn traveling bag, she shoved as many pieces of clothing as she could into it. She pulled on her supple riding boots, and ducked outside. A few moments later, Alatariel appeared.  
"We need food. To the kitchens." She grabbed Inwe's hand and dragged her down the halls to the kitchens. She pushed open the swinging double doors, and both sisters stopped dead in their tracks. Inside a maid was organizing the silver. Looking up at them with an open, honest face, she asked,  
"How can I help you, miladies?" She was cordial and kind.  
Inwe didn't want to lie, but they could not reveal their plans for leaving. She bit her lip and said, "We are going on. a camping trip. We need food for the journey." She looked meaningfully at Alatariel, hoping she would catch on.  
"I'll get it for you, miss-"  
"That's okay, we don't want to interrupt what you were doing with our menial task. We will do it." Alatariel said, cutting her off. "But thank you for the offer."  
"If you need me, just call, miladies." She went back to organizing the silver.  
The sisters shared a relieved look, and then went to the pantry. Inwe hoped that the maid would not be punished for her kindness. Alatariel opened the pantry cabinet doors, revealing lembas wrapped in leaves, salted meats, and preserved fruit. Both sisters filled the remaining space in their bags to the brim with food. Neither of them knew where their next food source would come from. After all was accounted for, they had about a month's worth of food for both of them. They tired their bags and slung them over their shoulders. Alatariel also had her arrows, and Inwe had her sword at her side.  
"When can you be expected back, miladies?" The maid asked.  
"We aren't sure. Whenever the music of the aspens and the pines beckons up back." Answered Alatariel. The sisters left the room.  
"Not right, not right at all," muttered the maid, "for Royal Princesses to go camping."  
  
~~*~~  
  
Alatariel and Inwe made for the stables. They went as quickly as they could, laden with their bags. Inwe pushed open the stable doors, and fifteen well refined, beautiful heads popped out of their stalls. One, a blood bay stallion, whinnied in alarm. Inwe rushed over to him, stroking his muzzle and whispering calming words into his ears.  
"I'm taking Willow." Alatariel stated, walking over to a gray mare.  
"And I will be riding Dawnwhisper." Inwe walked over to a golden mare with a flaxen mane and tail. "I'll get the tack."  
They could have rode bareback, as is custom in Mirkwood, but they would be traveling hard for an undetermined amount of time, and they would need a way to strap down their bags. Inwe carried out two tooled leather saddles and matching bridles. Alatariel grabbed two saddle pads. They tackedf up the mares quickly and quietly, and attached their bags so that they would not flap around while they were riding. The sisters led their horses to the outskirts of the palace, mounted, and rode out. Alatariel turned to Inwe. "Did you leave a note for Father and Mother?"  
"Yes." She replied, staring out into the rising sun. "Let's canter."  
"Okay." Both sisters urged their mounts into a smooth canter, and they disappeared into the forests of Mirkwood.  
  
~~*~~  
  
"My liege, your daughters!" A maid came jogging into the main hall of the palace.  
"What is it?" The king stood up from his throne. The others in the room turned to look at the maid, too. The queen stayed seated, but a look of concern was apparent on her face.  
"Early this morning, I was organizing the silver in the kitchens. They said they were going camping, but when I went to clean their rooms, I found this!" She held a rolled up piece of parchment in her hand.  
"What does it say?" Asked the king. The king was a wise elf, and he was still young, only about four thousand years of age. He had long, blond hair that he wore down, and sky blue eyes. His queen was gorgeous. She had fair skin, raven black hair, and eyes as gray as stormclouds. Both were well loved by their people, and their daughters were just as popular.  
"Maybe you should read it, my King." She held the note out to him, bent respectfully on one knee. The king took it, holding it out for him and his queen to read.  
  
Father and Mother,  
  
We can feel the shadows deepening around us. I know you sense it, too. They feel alive, as though they are watching us. More than once they have caused is distress in the night. We can feel the winds changing, and it may not be for the good. We feel it is our royal duty to our land and our people to discover this evil and bring it to light. We love you very much, and will be home as soon as possible.  
  
Mela,  
  
Inwe and Alatariel  
  
"They have gone." He said quietly, dropping the parchment on the floor. The queen placed her hand in his.  
"King Legolas, Queen Nienori, I will search for them!" A young elf, around the Princesses' age, rose and stepped forward.  
"Are you aware of the magnitude of this task, Cellen?" Asked Legolas.  
"I am, and it is my duty to bring them home to their people." He answered proudly. He had deep mahogany eyes that shone with kindness and fawn brown hair. He was a great fighter, and one of Legolas's most trusted men, despite his young age.  
"Very well, Cellen. I am glad you have accepted this task. There are not many I would trust with it. If you bring the Royal Princesses home, your reward for your loyalty to your homeland will be one of their hands in marriage. You may choose which. Please, return them to their people."  
"It is an honor to be trusted with this task, and to be allowed to wed one of your precious daughters. Do not worry, my king. I will bring them home to their people." He bowed, and took his seat once more. The others knew better then to start an excited discussion about the wedding in the presence of the king, and they held their tongues.  
"He may have whatever he desires for his journey. See that he is well equipped, Maleah." The maid bowed, and Cellen walked over to her. They both left for the kitchens and weapon chambers. "You are all dismissed." The others left the room, an excited chatter rising from the halls.  
"What are they doing, Legolas?" Queen Nienori asked, her grief evident.  
"I do not know, melamin, but they will bne home soon, do not worry." He planted a kiss on her forehead.  
"I hope they are okay. May the isdom of their people go with them," the queen whispered, getting up from her throne and heading for their bed chambers, "May the Valar go with them." 


	3. Continuums Clash

AN: I know, I know, very LOTR. But I had to set up the new characters before bringing in the old ones. For the rest of the story, It's a lot more KH. I would also like to thank AlexanderDelferia and seleramin Alatariel for reviewing! Now, on to the story. Oh, first, also, FYI, I don't like to do a lot of AN's, so I may not write one for a while. Thanks in advance for reading!  
  
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Chapter 2  
  
"Just admit it! You have no idea where we are!" Donald squawked at the pilot of the ship that they were in, a young guy with tan skin, shocking blue eyes, and spiky auburn hair.  
"I know where we are going. We went through the warp hole." His explanation fizzled out lamely.  
"And now where are we, Sora? You don't know!" Returned Donald.  
Goofy looked up from what he was reading. The top read "Chronicles, by Jiminy Cricket". "Gawrsh, what if we never find our way back? We could be stuck here."  
"We're FINE. Everything's FINE!" Sora turned around and glared at Donald, who glared back. But after a few seconds, his face lit up.  
Look, Sora! A world!" Donald pointed with a feathered finger. Sora turned around, and sure enough, a world was in the center of their windshield. The world ahead wasn't garish. It looked almost. too normal. The greens, blues, whites, and grays swirled together to make it look like a child's marble. There was a patch of blackness, and just looking at it made Sora's stomach sick. He turned around with a triumphant smile.  
"I TOLD you we weren't lost. I TOLD you I knew where I was going!"  
"Just turn around and land! We have to make sure the Heartless aren't on this world, too!" Donald answered grumpily. "Make sure that the ship is concealed. We don't want to make * that * mistake again."  
Sora laughed, pulling in the craft to look for a place to land.  
  
~ * ~  
  
"Just admit it! You have no idea where we are!" Alatariel yelled ahead at her sister, who was riding in front with the map.  
"We are in the Plains of Rohan. somewhere." She looked around, but all she could see were the golden wisps of grass that covered the plains that they had been crossing for days.  
"Yea, somewhere meaning anywhere." Alatariel mumbled loudly. She trotted up beside Inwe. "So much for our plan."  
"Alatariel, straight ahead!" Inwe dismounted, and Dawnwhisper shied away from the grass that was parting against the wind. Inwe drew her sword and held it in front of her, prepared to meet what was rushing their way. Alatariel did the same, dismounting, taking an arrow from her quiver and drawing her bow.  
From out of the grass leapt five dark shapes with pupiless, yellow eyes. Inwe caught one on the neck, causing it to explode into a mass of purple and black smoke, which then completely disappeared. She caught the next one in the belly, and didn't finish it off. The blade passed through it, as though it were no more than a shadow. She caught it with her next swing in its head, and it burst apart like the first. Alatariel had finished off two of them with her arrows. They both headed for the last one. It looked at them, and, realizing that it was alone, melted into the ground, becoming a true shadow. It crawled away, leaving them alone, looking as though they had fought nothing more than the wind.  
"I want to learn how to do that." Inwe said, flopping down in the grass.  
"What?" Alatariel replied.  
"Turn into a shadow. That's really useful." She laughed half- heartedly.  
"I don't. I think the only reason they can do that-" Alatariel stopped.  
"What is it?" Inwe asked.  
"I think the only reason they can do that is because they aren't truly alive. They live a tortured existence, like orcs." The thought sent a shiver up both girls' spines. Even after all the years since the War of the Ring, the ghosts of battle still haunted Middle-Earth. Neither girl had ever seen an orc, but their father's stories sent twisted nightmares to haunt them in their dreams. They were both silent for a while, each catching their breath. Inwe stood up first.  
"What do you say we keep moving? That thing is probably going to tell all of his friends that we are here."  
"Good idea." Alatariel stood up, too, brushing herself off. The horses had not gone very far, they were both very dedicated to their riders. They remounted, gathered their reins, and set forward at a brisk trot.  
  
~ * ~  
  
"You've circled the whole planet, Sora, just pick a place to land!" An exasperated Donald quacked.  
"How do those flat plains look?" Sora asked the two. He was beginning to ignore Donald, who was in a typical bad mood.  
"Fine, fine, LAND!" Donald yelled.  
"I'm landing, I'm landing." Sora answered, easing up on the controls. "A nice, smooth landing, coming right up."  
  
~ * ~  
  
"Look, there's a hill up here!" Inwe shouted back to her sister, who was once again in tow. "We can probably see for miles from up there!" She kicked Dawnwhisper gently, easing her foot back along her side, and she sprang into a relaxing canter. Alatariel followed suit, and they cantered up to the top of the hill.  
"Wow. what a view." Alatariel said, awed.  
"I know, and look, there's a forest over there!" Inwe pointed forward, and sure enough, there was green on the horizon.  
"It will take all day and night to reach it." Alatariel sighed and slouched on Willow's back. "Well, we better get started." She and Willow started down the hill.  
"Princesses!" Yelled a masculine voice. Both Inwe and Alatariel jumped from their saddles in surprise. They turned around, and saw a figure approaching them on a blood bay horse.  
"Oh no." Alatariel groaned. She clicked her tongue, and Willow started into a hand gallop.  
"Ali!" Inwe called, but she didn't look back. She heaved an exasperated sigh and turned Dawnwhisper around to face Cellen.  
"Princesses!" He called again, bringing Ruin to a halt. Inwe could tell it was Ruin, the same horse who had almost blown their cover when they were escaping. She knew all of the horses in the Royal Stable. She had spent much of her time there in her younger years. He looked happy to see her, and whickered amiably when he scented her atop Dawnwhisper. "Why have you abandoned you people, Inwe?" He said, using her informal name to scold her. "You father and mother are worried sick, they-"  
"Wait," Inwe said softly. Alatariel stopped, surprised by her sister's tone. She could still hear her sister, as they were connected in a way that no one, not even they themselves, understood. "The sky." Inwe whispered.  
Alatariel looked up and gasped. The clouds were boiling as if a storm was approaching, but the clouds were brilliant white, nothing like storm clouds. The sun was high in the sky and shining brightly, too. No, it couldn't be a storm, Alatariel thought. She kept looking up, and flashes of yellow and red began showing through, turning the clouds to fire. Willow reared, and Alatariel had to break her concentration just to stay on her horse. Inwe was having similar problems. She heard Inwe scream.  
"By the Valar! Alatariel, look up!"  
Alatariel struggled to calm her horse, and she managed what she intended to be a glance. But once she saw what was bursting through the clouds, she could not tear her eyes from it. What looked like a brightly color bird made out of children's blocks was darting from the sky. It had a giant black mask across its face, and immobile wings. It's claws came out of its body, and it hit the ground with a thud. The claws let it roll to a stop in the middle of the Plains of Rohan.  
Inwe turned around to see Cellen lying on the ground and Ruin standing next to him, looking sheepish.  
"Ruin, did you rear and knock off Cellen?" Inwe asked in a cute singsong voice. He walked over to her and she patted his neck.  
"Inwe, what do we do? It's opening its mouth!" She whispered loudly. Cellen groaned, getting up.  
"My head."  
"Get over it, we have bigger problems!" Hissed Alatariel. Cellen hushed up. She turned to her sister. "I say, we go around it, making for the forest. I believe that it may be Fangorn. Whatever it is, we need to reach it by-"  
"No," Inwe interrupted, "I am going over there. This may help us on our quest."  
"Quest? What quest?" Cellen asked loudly.  
"Be quiet!" The sisters chorused. "I am going down there. Stay here with Cellen." Before Alatariel could protest, Inwe slipped down the hill as stealthily as she could and approached the giant bird.  
  
~ * ~  
  
Sora, Donald, and Goofy disembarked from the gummi ship. They walked down the ramp, and looked around at the strange world they had landed on.  
"Where are we?" Sora asked Donald. Donald looked around helplessly, as if the answer would reveal itself.  
"I. don't know," He answered lamely.  
"What do you mean, you don't know? You always know where we are! How can you not know?" Sora asked.  
Inwe crept closer, her golden hair blending in perfectly to the grasses of the plains. She prowled forward like a cat stalking her prey. She slowly withdrew her sword, making no noise as she unsheathed the steel. She snuck up on the creatures from behind, her total being focused on them.  
"Don't move!" Inwe said in a commanding voice. Sora, Donald, and Goofy, turned around, each with their weapon in hand.  
"You are the one who shouldn't move! We have you outnumbered!" Sora said triumphantly.  
"That's what you think!" Alatariel and Cellen ran up behind the three. Alatariel had her bow in hand, an arrow notched to the string. Cellen carried an Elven longsword with beautiful engravings along the blade. Inwe walked over to them.  
"We don't want to fight you," Donald said, "We just traveled here on our ship-"  
"That's not a ship, that's a bird!" Alatariel yelled, drawing her bow.  
Wait, where are we?" Sora asked.  
"The Plains of Rohan." Inwe answered.  
"Oh no!" Donald slapped his hand to his face and walked away, shaking his head. Goofy followed him, asking what was wrong. Sora looked around, and saw three weapons pointed at him with only his own to defend him. He looked at his attackers.  
"Are your ears. pointy?" He asked.  
"For goodness sake!" Alatariel put her bow away. "What is wrong with you people? . And other things." She added, glancing at Goofy and Donald.  
"You aren't of Middle-Earth, are you?" Inwe asked fascinated. "Where do you come from?"  
He didn't answer. Judging by his facial expression, he was a bit uncomfortable.  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Inwe said, putting her sword away, "I didn't introduce myself. I am Inwe Greenleaf, Princess of Mirkwood. This is my sister, Alatariel, and Cellen Lomear." She offered her hand. "And you are?"  
"Sora, the Keyblade Master." He shook her hand. Inwe noticed that his sword was a key, not a steel blade, but she left this unmentioned.  
"Pleasure to meet you, Sora. Please excuse our. attack. We have had strange happenings lately in Middle-Earth, and the landing of your bird was certainly not ordinary. I'm afraid we thought you were hostile."  
Sora was still staring at them. "You don't look human."  
Alatariel groaned. "That would be because we aren't. We are from Mirkwood, meaning we are elves. Your companions aren't exactly human, either." She glanced at Donald and Goofy, who were muttering to each other by the ramp. Donald looked very upset.  
"The duck is Donald, and the other one is Goofy." He said as means of introducing them. He turned back to Inwe. "About the strange happenings here, what's wrong?"  
"There are creatures haunting the woods and plains, and the Lords of Doom once more send fire into the heavens. We fear that the Dark Lord is once more at work." Inwe said solemnly. "Creatures of shadow have been attacking us since we left Mirkwood to find out the truth."  
Sora looked alarmed. "Donald, I think there's Heartless here!" He called, but Donald didn't seem to be listening. "Excuse me for a moment." He told the elves, walking over to Donald and Goofy. "Donald, there are Heartless here, we have to find the Keyhole!"  
"This is wrong, terribly wrong. We are in Middle-Earth!" Donald wailed.  
"What's wrong, why is this a bad thing?" Sora asked, puzzled.  
"You don't understand, Sora," Goofy said, "We are only supposed to go to worlds in which we know the inhabitants, and King Mickey rules them."  
"Who rules this world?" Asked Sora.  
"We don't know, because we aren't supposed to be here!" Donald squawked, "Going through that warp hole opened up a new continuum. We have left King Mickey's continuum and entered this one."  
"What is a continuum?"  
"A continuum is a system of worlds interlocked by warp holes," Donald answered. "We belong in the Cartoonist Continuum. We left that one to come here."  
"What continuum is this?"  
"I read about the different continuums in one of my books. This is the Novelistic Continuum. This is Middle-Earth, one of many worlds in this continuum." Donald drifted into deep thought. Sora knew he could get no more answers out of Donald for now.  
"Goofy, I think we'll spend the night here in the plains. We can sleep outside." Sora went to get the tents that they had in the ship.  
"Why don't we sleep inside the ship, Sora?" Goofy asked.  
"Because I want to learn more about the elves. They think the ship is a bird. I don't think they'll get on it, at least not tonight."  
"Right," Goofy answered, "A campout it is!"  
"Looped continuums, Heartless in Novels." Donald muttered, sitting down for a hard night of figuring out how this happened and how to get out of it.  
  
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For those people who don't know, continuum is pronounced "con-tin-yu-um". Thank you for reading! Please leave your reviews! 


	4. The Great Outdoors

Well, I fibbed. I am writing another author's note. The temptation was too great. I was unsure of where to go next, but TheWhiteDevil's review gave me some incentive :-) So, here is the 4th establishment of the Princesses Of The Ring!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"A campout! It sounds like a good idea." Inwe was unpacking her and her sister's bags. "Do you have tents?"  
  
"Yea, Goofy is getting them from the ship." Sora explained. Less than a moment later, as if summoned by his words, Goofy came down the ramp, baring two large tents. They were made of canvas and long, polished wooden poles. Goofy began setting them up next to each other, while Alatariel took it upon herself to build a fire. Cellen had brought firewood with him, so she took a few logs and set them in a pyramid. She also uprooted the grass around the fire in a ten-foot radius and threw some of it on the wood. She then removed her flint from her bag and struck it, the sparks hitting the dry grass and setting the bonfire aflame.  
  
"You could have just asked me to set it on fire." Sora said, holding his keyblade and smiling.  
  
"But I didn't." Alatariel returned in a clipped voice, with a smirk on her face. She was still not entirely over the remark about her pointy ears. Sora noticed this and decided to stay clear of her for a while instead of escalating the problem. Instead, he turned to Inwe, who was pitching the other tent with Cellen.  
  
"What did your attackers look like?" He asked her. She visibly shivered.  
  
"Living shadows, with sickly amber eyes and bug-like antennae that quivered when you drew near," She whispered, "They had no emotion, and embodied the fear of others. When you slew them, they left no trace, and could flee into shadow."  
  
"Shadows, Goofy." Sora stated gravely. "There are Shadows here."  
  
"There have always been shadows in Middle-Earth. Before our time, there was a time of great shadow and peril, when these lands tottered on the edge of a knife blade. However, brave souls made the trek into the heart of the evil, and there destroyed it. Of course, traces of this evil still remain, but the elves of Mirkwood are doing our part in ending the evil once and for all. But now, now a new evil seems to be spreading, and this fears me more than the remains of the last."  
  
"You're right to be scared. The Heartless are to be feared." Sora said it as if the statement was obvious. "And there is a way to destroy it. In the heart of this world there is a keyhole, and there, a key can lock the world's heart. My keyblade can do it. So if we found the keyhole- "  
  
"Middle-Earth would be saved." Inwe finished.  
  
"Exactly. Do you know where this keyhole would be?" He asked eagerly, hoping she would have the answer.  
  
Inwe thought about it, and did not answer for a long time. She worked, deep in thought, and it was not until the tents were almost completely assembled that she answered Sora.  
  
"There is a place where the heart of good is, and where the heart of evil is. I can think of no neutral ground." Sora's heart sank. How would they know which side of the light the keyhole would be on?  
  
"A journey to either place would be highly dangerous, and maybe deadly. I do not see how we could reach the heart of this world if we took the most skilled warriors in Middle-Earth with us."  
  
"Where are these places?" Sora asked.  
  
"The heart of all good is Valinor, the resting place of elves. The heart of evil is the heart of Mount Doom, the exact place where evil was destroyed in the last war."  
  
Everyone was silent until the fire was crackling merrily and they were all seated around it, telling stories of their lives and laughing. For one night, they decided to forget their worries and quests, and enjoy the Rohirrim night on the plains.  
  
"So, how old are you two?" Sora asked the sisters, chewing on dried meat.  
  
"I don't think he'll believe us, Inwe." Alatariel said playfully, winking at her sister.  
  
"I think you're right, Alatariel." She replied, grinning.  
  
"No, seriously, how old are you guys?" He asked.  
  
"Well," Inwe said, "We are 517 years of age, as of our last birthday."  
  
"No way! You've got to be kidding me! You look fourteen! There is no way you are that old." He crossed his arms in front of him and turned to Cellen. "Let me guess, and you're 600?"  
  
"Actually, to be exact, I am 752." He answered calmly, but a devilish sparkle was visible in his eye. The three elves exchanged looks, and it was quite obvious that they were enjoying this thoroughly. Goofy looked puzzled, as if he were doing a large calculation in his head.  
  
"So, Cellen, how old would that make you, humanly speaking?" He asked in his low voice.  
  
"Around seventeen." He answered. "At least physically speaking. My knowledge far surpasses that of a nineteen-year old." Alatariel stifled a laugh, and Inwe grinned.  
  
"Hey Donald, why don't you come join us?" Sora yelled. Donald had gone into the ship and gotten some large sheets of paper and writing utensils, and many different and odd tools that he used to measure and calculate with. He was deeply absorbed in his work, and shot straight in the air when Sora called out to him.  
  
"I am very busy!" He yelled back, not even looking over his shoulder. "I am trying to figure our where that warp hole put us!"  
  
"Spoil sport." Sora muttered.  
  
"I heard that!" He squawked back. "Goofy, come help me out! I can't do this all alone!"  
  
"Coming, Donald!" Goofy called, getting up from the fire. "I'll be back in a while. I should help Donald with his maps."  
  
"Have fun." Sora said sarcastically, and Goofy ruffled his hair before going to help his feathered friend. Inwe, Alatariel, Cellen, and Sora all sat around the fire as it crackled merrily, while those around the fire were awkwardly silent for a few minutes. Finally, Sora broke the silence.  
  
"So, what do you elves do for fun?" He asked.  
  
"Spar, competitions, sing, poetry," Inwe started listing ideas.  
  
Sora cut her off. "No, I mean silly little games, or embarrassing games." The three elves looked at each other quizzically. Sora elaborated. "Games that will get us to know each other better."  
  
"What games did you play where you come from?" Inwe asked, "Where do you come from?"  
  
"It was called Destiny Islands, before it was destroyed by the darkness." He was quiet for a moment. "As for the games we played, I guess we played what any human teenager would play." He put the emphasis on the word human, making the three elves smirk. "Have you ever heard of Truth or Dare? Or Spin the Bottle?" All three shook their heads. Sora suddenly realized what he was working with. "Well, it sounds as if you three have been missing out. These are absolute classics. Which would you like to play?" He grinned devilishly, and the elves were afraid to choose. Sora decided to pick one of them to choose. "Alatariel, how about you choose?"  
  
She looked absolutely terrified, but she didn't want to seem like a coward. Truth or Dare didn't sound so good. There were some things that she did not even want to tell her sister, let alone the others sitting around the fire. There were also some things that she definitely did not want to do, too, and she was not exactly daring in all aspects. "How about Spin the Bottle?" She said in a small voice that she failed miserably in attempting to make stronger.  
  
"Great choice, Ali." She grimaced at the nickname, but Sora either didn't notice or care. He was laughing gleefully on the inside, but on the outside he kept a cool smile. Playing fun games with these elves was making him remember how to be a teenager again, not just the Keyblade Master. He certainly wouldn't mind playing Spin the Bottle with the two beautiful elven girls sitting at the fire across from him. The fire danced in their eyes and caressed their golden tresses, making them shine like spun gold. "Well here are the rules. We need a bottle." He looked around, and Inwe tossed him an empty wine bottle that she had found in the kitchens back home and had been holding wine in for the journey. They had emptied it that night, and Inwe might have been more cautious about the boyish grin on Sora's face if the effects of it had not been tingling her senses. "Thank- you, Inwe. Now, we need to get away from the fire. Let's go in the girl's tent."  
  
The four entered the girl's tent, which was bigger, despite the fact that there were two girls and four boys. The inside smelled of canvas, but the breeze blew through it, sending the smells of the plains through in drafts. The four sat in a circle in the middle of the tent, and Sora placed the bottle in the middle. "Out of good sportsmanship, I'll let Inwe go first." Inwe wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing, but she said thank-you all the same. "So, you spin the bottle," He spun it for an example, and it landed on Alatariel. "And whoever it lands on, you have to kiss." The tent was silent for a moment, and Alatariel wondered what she had gotten them all into, and maybe they would have been better off with Truth or Dare. Sora continued. "The first time it lands on someone, it's just a kiss on the cheek. The second time, it's a kiss on the lips, and the third time, it's everything, including tongues." He was once more greeted by silence. The Royal Court is not usually involved in matchmaking of any kind until the child is at least 800 years old, and none of them had ever had any experience with kissing. "No girls kissing girls and boys kissing boys, though. After that, the game is, well, over."  
  
He handed the bottle to Inwe, who refused to take it until it was stuffed into her hands. "Your turn, Inwe."  
  
"Do I have to go first?" she asked reluctantly.  
  
"Yes, we already decided this, Inwe, go ahead, and spin the bottle!" He said, barely holding back hysterical laughter.  
  
"Well, okay, here I go."  
  
~ * ~  
  
"Our borders are being overrun, my liege!" Shouted a soldier from the doors to the throne room, "We cannot hold them back!"  
  
"Send out all of our best warriors, Thamior! We must hold them off, we cannot succumb as the other Elven Nations did!" King Legolas boomed back.  
  
The last few days had been hell in Mirkwood Forest. Creatures had overrun the borders, making Mirkwood safe no longer. Families had been ordered to stay indoors, and all warriors had reported to the Barracks. In total, Mirkwood had over one thousand warriors, but the creatures entering Mirkwood were not normal creatures, and Legolas was haunted by his memories of the War of the Ring and the goblins, orcs, and trolls that he had battled. However, these creatures were not of this realm. They were shadows, and they could become shadows, where no blade or arrow could touch them. The thought alone sent shivers up his spine.  
  
One by one, word had gotten to Legolas of the Nations of Middle- Earth falling. There were but a few left. The Rohirrim were holding out in Helm's Deep. The dwarves were yet to be affected by the darkness, hiding away in their mountains, caring little for the outside world and its problems. Then, there was Mirkwood, the only Elven Nation left standing. It seemed that the elves were hit the hardest by the darkness, as though they were the primary enemy. Lothlorien and Rivendell had both fallen, and he had not heard from Galadriel and Celeborn or Elrond sine he had gotten word from messengers of their downfall. It seemed as if the fight was hopeless.  
  
In the sea of terror and shadow that he was drowning in, Legolas hoped that his daughters and Cellen were safe from the evil that was sweeping their homeland. They had escaped their fate, and it seemed as if they were the only elves left free in the whole of Middle-Earth.  
  
~ * ~  
  
The game was almost done. It had turned out almost perfectly, and each of the players was up to their third spin on all of the other players. Considering there were only two players of each gender, the game had passed fairly quickly, and it seemed that sooner than any of the elves were ready, they were all on their third spin. It was Alatariel's turn, and she held the bottle in an unsure way, as if wondering if she could still get out of this.  
  
"Go ahead, Alatariel, spin!" Sora said, laughing. The game had been lots of fun for him. It reminded him of when he would play with Wakka, Tidus, Riku, Selphie, and Kairi. He didn't think about locking keyholes or slaying Shadows, he was just a teenager again, playing Spin the Bottle.  
  
Alatariel spun the bottle, and it landed on Cellen. Both of them blushed furiously, and Sora cackled with glee.  
  
"Um, Sora, can we use the other tent for this? I really don't want to do this right here." Alatariel mumbled, turning beet red.  
  
"Sure, Ali, go ahead. You and Cellen can have your privacy." He laughed again, only making the two elves blush more furiously, if that were possible. They both left the tent and went into the other. Sora laughed, only reminding Inwe that her time was coming.  
  
The two came back about one minute later, and Sora teased them mercilessly. They both blushed again, taking their seats clumsily. "Your turn, Cellen! Spin the bottle!" Sora yelled. He's enjoying himself too much, Inwe thought.  
  
When the bottle stopped Sora cracked up. It had landed on Alatariel. The two once more got up, getting out of the tent before Sora could heckle them anymore. Again, after about a minute, they both came back in, and when Sora laughed, neither of them blushed.  
  
"Well, Alatariel, the game is winding down, and there is only one person left!" He looked around, pretending to look for other people. "Wait, it's me?" He said in mock suprise. "Well, come on, Ali." He left the tent, and Alatariel followed, gazing at Cellen before leaving.  
  
They both came back in, and Alatariel took her seat silently, while Sora marched back in, looking proud of himself. "I believe it is my turn." He said to the elves, and he spun the bottle. He had spun it very quickly, and it danced around on the floor, spinning in circles for much longer than usual. It slowed down, spinning around and around. Inwe could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. It slowed to a stop - right in front of her.  
  
"Well, come on, Inwe." Sora said, stepping back outside the tent. Inwe followed, her head swimming. She was nervous and excited all at the same time. Sora entered the tent in front of her, and she followed after him. He sat down on one of the blankets, and patted the blanket next to him, motioning for her to sit down. She sat down beside him, still feeling as if it were all surreal. He turned to her, and she closed her eye and leaned in.  
  
She was as thrilled as she had been when she had kissed before in the round before, feeling his lips against her own. Then he opened his mouth, and hers opened along with him. He slid his tongue inside her mouth, and she put her hands around his neck, pulling him closer, and kissing back.  
  
They reentered the tent, and Alatariel looked paler than usual. They sat back down, and it was her turn again.  
  
"Well, you don't have to spin, Inwe. It's your turn with Cellen. And then, it is your turn with Cellen again, and then it's our turn, and then we call it a night.  
  
Cellen was not a bad kisser, although Inwe might not be a very good judge, but he didn't compare to Sora in her mind. They reentered the girl's tent, and then had to go right back out again. They then came back in, and it was her turn with Sora again.  
  
"Let's go again, Inwe." Sora led the way out again. She followed him into the tent, and they kissed once more. Inwe confirmed what she had thought. Cellen did not compare to Sora in any way.  
  
~ * ~  
  
"No, according to my calculations, and the position of the warp hole in the Cartoonist Continuum, I think-"  
  
"The warp hole was 15 degrees East of there, Donald-"  
  
The four could hear Donald and Goofy going back and forth as they approached. They went into the boy's tent, and continued the argument. The two guys said goodnight to the sisters, and went into their tent. Alatariel turned to Inwe, her face pale.  
  
"Father promised Cellen one of our hands in marriage for our safe return." She said in a soft voice. The sisters were both silent, neither of them believing that their Father would do this to them. In their silence their heard arguing from the boys' tent. Sora was yelling about Donald's maps all over his blankets, and Cellen was yelling for everyone to be quiet. Goofy was taking everyone's side, not really knowing what was going on. Finally, Donald threw both of them out of the tent.  
  
"Sleep outside, for all I care!" He said, throwing their blankets and Cellen's bags out after them. At this point, Inwe went to their tent flap and look outside.  
  
Both of them were shivering in the frigid night air. She felt bad for them. "Do you want to come in here?" She asked them. Both of the guys looked somewhat bashful, but in the end mumbled acceptance and crawled in. They set up their beds on the other side of the tent, and Sora was nowhere near as bold as he had been during the game. They all fell asleep quickly; the Shadows would not haunt them tonight when they had such good thoughts. 


	5. Kingdom Bound

Chapter 4  
  
AN: Here I go with another author's note again. I want to thank Alatáriël (the real one) for the awesome little party game that I could never have come up with on my own, and I want to thank everyone else who reads this thing, even if you don't review. Though it would be nice if you did! :-) I hope you enjoy the fourth installment in this odd story!  
  
Morning came, and the sun crept through the tent. Inwe awoke, and she was about to get out of her four-poster bed in her chambers, when she realized that she was on the floor of a tent that was set up in the middle of the Plains of Rohan. She looked over to her sister, who was curled up in a blanket beside her, still asleep. She sighed heavily, and rolled the blanket around her, wishing the sun would go back down for a couple more hours. However, her wish was impossible, due to the fact that Sora and Cellen were both wide awake, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Both were rolling up their blankets and packing Cellen's bags, getting ready to break camp.  
"I know you're awake, Inwe," Sora said, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "And if you don't get up, we will be forced to make you get up."  
"Do your worst," She mumbled groggily, though immediately regretted it. Both of them pounced on top of her, pulling of her blanket and tickling her until she was laughing insanely. "All right! I'm up!" She sat up and pulled her blanket back on top of her, trying to keep the frigid morning air from seeping through her nightclothes. "Wake up Alatariel."  
While the two guys were busy rousing her sister, Inwe made her escape outside the tent. Goofy and Donald were both already around the fire making breakfast. She could smell the meat roasting, and it made her long for the warm food that she hadn't eaten since she left Mirkwood. Donald looked up, offering her a piece.  
"Thank you," She said, taking the meat and ripping off a piece. It tasted as good as she had thought it would. "Now what are we going to do?" She dreaded the answer, but she had to know. Alatariel, Sora, and Cellen all came out of the tent. Alatariel was still in pajamas.  
"We have no idea how, and if, we can seal the keyholes in the Novelistic Continuum." Donald started, and Inwe knew that she wasn't going to like the answer. "Therefore, Goofy and I decided last night that we would seek the king of this continuum."  
"We have a king?" Alatariel asked dubiously, "Until yesterday I didn't even know we had a continu-thingy."  
"Continuum." Donald corrected. "And there is a king of this continuum. We drew up some maps last night based on information we found in the gummi ship's database. The planet should be about a day's drive from here at top speed. And that means that we have to get started right away."  
"Hold on," Alatariel said, "We are going on * the bird? * I don't think so. Besides, Inwe and I have to save our forest. If we leave, there is no hope for Mirkwood."  
"If you don't come, we will never find the keyhole. We need someone from this continuum with us; otherwise we have no hope of speaking with the king. We could also use a few weapons, and hands to use them. And besides, this is the happiest Sora has been since we left." The elves could hear him mutter "Don't bring me into this." but Donald didn't seem to hear. "You have to come with us, otherwise your world will be destroyed."  
"Group meeting." Inwe called, and the three elves walked away. They stood in a circle to decide what to do. Sora, Goofy, and Donald strained to hear, but the only words they could make out were "Father", "Key", and "Bird". After a heated discussion, the three came back over to the fire. "We're in." Inwe said, "But only if you promise to save Middle-Earth."  
"I promise." Sora said.  
"Then it's settled!" Donald said happily, rubbing his wings together. "We leave now." Inwe nodded and went into the tent to change, and Alatariel followed, looking pale.  
"Stupid bird. . ." She said, crawling in and closing the flap. The sisters got changed and packed their stuff, and then the four of them rolled the tent up. Cellen and Sora carried it up the ramp, and Inwe followed with hers and Cellen's bags. Alatariel stood at the bottom of the ramp, all color drained from her face and her eyes as big as dinner plates. Inwe turned around and came back down to her sister.  
"Come on, we have to reach the king's planet by tonight." She said, grabbing her sister's hand and dragging her partway up the ramp. Alatariel took her hand back, crossing her arms and looking up at the ship.  
"It's just that I've never flown before." She said, taking in the enormity of the ship.  
"Neither have I, seleramin. It will be a new experience for both of us." She answered, smiling and holding out her hand for her sister. Alatariel grinned back, handed Inwe her luggage and walked up the ramp, laughing. "I'm not a maid!" Inwe called out after her sister, now completely bogged down with luggage. Somehow she managed to make it up the ramp, and the sight completely amazed her. She dropped all of the bags down with a loud thump, and gazed around at the ship's interior.  
The floor was covered with a soft carpet, and the walls were a warm gray, covered in dazzling lights. On the ceiling were white, glowing holes that shed light, and everywhere things were blinking and beeping. "Inwe, come in here!" Sora called, and she followed his voice, looking at the sights and hearing the sounds of the ship with childish amazement. She entered a room with five large beds. "This is the barracks of the ship." Sora said. "Obviously, it's meant for part of an army to use or something, but I use it as my bedroom. But it's better this way, at least we all get our own bed and light. Donald and Goofy sleep somewhere else." He flopped down on one of the stacked beds and flipped a switch, turning a light above his bed on.  
"Lights?" Alatariel questioned.  
He hid his surprise well. I have to remember that they don't have this technology, he thought to himself. "These are electric lamps." He pointed up at the glowing holes in the ceiling.  
"I guess we better get used to surprises." Cellen muttered, gazing at the room. Suddenly, a crackling sound was heard throughout the room, and they could hear Donald's voice echoing through the ship.  
"Get seated for takeoff." He said in his squawking voice.  
"That's Donald on the intercom. We have to go to the front of the ship to sit down for takeoff." Sora explained, heading out of the room. The elves followed him through the hallways, and they ended up in a room full of chairs that had straps on them.  
"Use the seatbelts to buckle yourself in. Put the one metal thing in the other metal thing." Sora showed them how to do it by buckling his own. Inwe copied him and buckled herself. She then buckled in Alatariel, who then buckled in Cellen.  
"We're ready, Donald!" Sora yelled. The ship came to life. They could hear the great rumbling of the engines, and the ship lurched forward. Alatariel gripped her armrests so hard that her knuckles turned bone white, and she squinted her eyes together so she couldn't see them taking off. (At the last second she opened her eyes to see them taking off.)  
The ship launched into the air, and Middle-Earth shrunk away from them rapidly, until Inwe could see the whole planet through her window. "Wow," She said in awe, "Who would have thought that Middle-Earth looked like that?" After they were in space, Donald came over the intercom again.  
"You can resume your activities again." He quacked. Sora unbuckled himself and stood up. He then looked over at the three elves, and seeing them wrestling with their belts, undid them. They all got up and Sora led them back to the barracks.  
"It's not so bad now." Alatariel said, sitting down on a bed. "I could get used to flying."  
  
~ * ~  
  
After flying all morning, they were all ravenous with hunger. For the past few hours, they had been wandering between the barracks and the seating room with windows at the front of the ship. None of them had eaten anything since the morning. They were all laying on their bunk beds when Sora's stomach protested loudly.  
"I agree with your stomach, Sora," Alatariel stated, putting her hand on her own belly. Sora laughed. "Let me show you the kitchen." He said, and he led them through another hallway and into a small room with cabinets and a table. Around the table were multiple stools made out of steel with padded seats. He opened one of the cabinets, taking out long sticks of brown bread and bowls sauce to dip them in. He handed the food out, and they all sat down to lunch. The foursome ate in silence for a couple long minutes before Inwe spoke up. "Is there anything to do around here?" She asked between bites. The elves were beginning to feel cut-off from their world without the trees, grass, and life of their planet. On top of this withdrawal, they had nothing to do all day except sit and think about trees, grass, and life, which only made it much worse. "Did you like the game last night?" Sora responded, not answering her. The question caught everyone off-guard, no one had talked about the game all day. Sora had directed it at Inwe, and she felt as though she were being asked a trick question. She wasn't going to say yes, but she couldn't say no. And in reality, she didn't really know the answer. Her distress must have been apparent to her sister, because she jumped in and saved her. "Why, because you have another crazy game for us to play today?" She wasn't sure she wanted Sora to answer. "If you liked the other one, than yes, I do have a game to play." He thought for a moment. "And if you didn't I still have another one to play." He received an exasperated sigh from the elves, and he just smiled innocently, pretending not to hear. "Well, is there any way that we can get out of this?" Cellen asked in an almost desperate voice. "Not that I can see, no," answered Sora, a sparkle in his eyes that made everyone else at the table a bit uneasy. "Well, if we can't get out of this, then you better explain the game to us." Inwe said, and Sora started explaining the game over lunch.  
  
~ * ~  
  
The game was thus: The four of them sat in a circle, boy-girl. Inwe and Alatariel sat across from each other, and Sora and Cellen sat across from each other. In the middle of the circle sat an empty bottle labeled "Potion", but it wasn't there for the same reason as last night. Everyone would take turns kissing the bottle in different places, though no one at the circle really knew why they were doing this, except for Sora. Then they would pass it to the right. That was the entirety of the game, from how Sora described it to them.  
  
Sora started with the bottle, and he kissed it on the neck. Then he passed it to Inwe, the same glint in his eyes that had been there earlier. She kissed it on the back of the bottle, on the other side from the label, and then passed it to Cellen. Cellen kissed it on the front, just above the label, and then Alatariel kissed it on the bottom. Sora got the bottle, and kissed it on the side, sending it back to Alatariel. She sighed, and then kissed it on the lip of the bottle, where the cap would have been if it were there. Cellen kissed the other side of the bottle, and Inwe got it. She kissed the label. Then she handed it back to Sora, who was enjoying himself entirely too much for this to be the whole game.  
  
"This isn't the whole game, is it?" Inwe asked. Sora shook his head.  
  
"Nope, nope nope, there's more! You see, you must kiss the person next to you in the same place that you kissed the bottle. I guess I am the one to start. So, because I kissed the neck of the bottle, that means that I kiss Inwe. . ." He hadn't finished his sentence before he leaned over towards Inwe and kissed her neck. It felt really good, better than Inwe was planning on letting on. She managed to keep control of herself, but when he pulled away, she could see that he knew that she had had some trouble in the area of self-control, at least in her mind. "So, Inwe kisses Cellen on the back, Cellen kisses Alatariel on the chest, and then Alatariel has the pleasure of kissing my feet."  
  
The game continued around the circle, until it started back the other way. Alatariel blushed when she kissed Cellen on the lips in front of Sora and Inwe, and Inwe blushed when she kissed Sora's chest. She could hear his heartbeat, and it was pounding like a mad drum, much harder than it would have seemed to the elves. She kissed him, probably longer than was needed, and then pulled away.  
  
"Is that the whole game?" Alatariel asked.  
  
"What, do you want to play again?" Sora asked her back. The elves were silent, and he decided to take it as a no, being that he was extremely uncomfortable leading the game once, and it wouldn't be as fun when they already knew what was going to happen. "We will just play that for today, but tomorrow is another story." Knowing that complaint was futile, no one objected.  
  
"What time is it?" Inwe asked Sora. He looked at the wall, where a digital clock was situated.  
  
"It's almost sunset. We could have dinner now, and then we can go to bed." They all got up, and went into the kitchen for some more food. After eating, they all headed back to the barracks. However, no one was ready for bed yet, and so they just stayed in the room with nothing to do. Inwe and Alatariel talked while sitting on one bed, while Sora and Cellen looked out different windows, watching the universe pass.  
  
"It's odd, seleramin, I don't feel like myself anymore." Inwe said. Alatariel agreed with her.  
  
"Maybe it is just that we are starting on a journey beyond our wildest imaginings, or maybe it is the company we keep. I saw your eyes, Inwe, during the game. I know your heart."  
  
"Well I can see how ignorant I was to try to keep it from you, 'Princess Of All Knowledge'." Inwe taunted, but Alatariel didn't take the bait. Instead, she looked her right in the eyes.  
"I do not joke. I can see how you long, and I cannot say I do not know how you feel. It is how we will act on the feelings we keep that is the problem. What do you plan to do?"  
  
Inwe was at a loss. "I am not sure. But I am going over to him." She smiled at her sister, and then got off the bed, going over to the one that Sora was on. She sat down, and when he felt the shift of weight, he looked over. There was Inwe, looking back at him with stormy blue eyes, like the calm of the sky before the storm. Her blonde hair fell halfway down her back. Her milky white skin was healthy but pale. She smiled shyly, making Sora's heart beat as fast as it had during the game they played that afternoon. He smiled back. She scooted over next to him, her eyes sparkling as if they knew a secret. She leaned over and whispered into his ear, "I heard your heart pounding during the game. Is The Great Sora as scared to play as everyone else?" She laughed and he was glad to hear it, even though she obviously knew some of what he was feeling. He decided to let her know more.  
  
"It isn't like that when I play with other people, just when I play with you." He whispered back. Inwe wasn't sure if he was kidding or not, but she blushed all the same. She looked away towards where Cellen was. Alatariel had started talking to him. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was obvious that they were having a good time. She looked back into Sora's honest blue eyes, and she couldn't read everything that was there. He confused her, and she liked it.  
  
"You know, Alatariel and I are scared to sleep while we're flying." Inwe said nonchalantly, subtly hinting at something.  
  
"It's not that bad, after you've tried it. It's like sleeping on the ocean, rocked to sleep by the movements of the ship. I actually like it."  
  
"I don't know, it seems odd. I can't imagine myself sleeping while floating."  
  
"Well, we could move all the beds together, and then if we die, we can all die together." Sora joked, and Inwe hit him playfully on the head. She didn't object, though. So Inwe and Sora started moving beds, and the other two elves looked over at them as if they were insane. "We are moving the beds together. Inwe told me that you and her were scared of sleeping while flying." Alatariel and Inwe's eyes met, and Alatariel conveyed a single thought, you're good.  
  
When the clock on the wall read ten, they all got into the giant bed. The girls were on one side, and the boys on the other, with their feet meeting in the middle. After kicking around blankets and sorting out pillows, they finally settled. Inwe could see Sora's feet as lumps under the blanket, and she kicked him lightly with her own foot. He kicked back, and they had a war until Alatariel hit her for keeping her up. Finally, they all fell asleep, with only a few hours until they would reached the Kingdom of the Novelistic Continuum.  
  
~ * ~  
  
"Donald, what is the Kingdom called?" Goofy asked. The two were still at the controls, piloting the ship onwards.  
  
"Camelot?" Donald said, hoping that he had read it right. He shrugged, turning back to the controls. "We can ask King Arthur how to say it when we get there. 


End file.
